Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise Pangolin) nearing end-of-life

Ubuntu 12.04 "Precise Pangolin" has been with us from the beginning, since we first embarked on the journey to support Linux virtual machines in Microsoft Azure. However, as its five-year support cycle is nearing an end in April 2017 we must now move on and say "goodbye" to Precise. Ubuntu posted the official EOL notice back in March. The following is an excerpt from one of the announcements:

This is a reminder that the Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise Pangolin) release is nearing its end of life. Ubuntu announced its 12.04 (Precise Pangolin) release almost 5 years ago, on April 26, 2012. As with the earlier LTS releases, Ubuntu committed to ongoing security and critical fixes for a period of 5 years. The support period is now nearing its completion and Ubuntu 12.04 will reach its end of life near the end of April 2017. At that time, Ubuntu Security Notices will no longer include information or updated packages, including kernel updates, for Ubuntu 12.04.

For users who can't upgrade immediately, Canonical is offering Ubuntu 12.04 ESM (Extended Security Maintenance), which provides important security fixes for the kernel and the most essential user space packages in Ubuntu 12.04. These updates are delivered in a secure, private archive exclusively available to Ubuntu Advantage customers.